TBI arrests Tipton County man for murder of infant stepson

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation last night arrested and charged a Tipton County man with murder for the death of his infant stepson

Bryan Austin DeMeza

Bryan Austin DeMeza, 21, of 2342 Drummonds Road, in Munford, was charged with one count of first degree murder and one count of aggravated child abuse for the Dec. 2012 death of 19-day-old Zayne Hunter DeMeza. On Dec. 6, DeMeza found Zayne unresponsive while in his care. DeMeza admitted to shaking Zayne eight to 10 times in a fast motion forward to backward and falling on the infant twice during the evening before Zayne’s death. DeMeza found the infant unresponsive after placing him in his bassinet and took him to his in-laws who contacted 911. Zayne was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m.

DeMeza also admitted to dropping Zayne while standing in the kitchen and described how the infant hit DeMeza’s knee and kitchen cabinet before his body hit the floor on Nov. 23. He also admitted to an incident that happened on Nov. 28, where while DeMeza was holding Zayne, the infant’s head collided with a door frame causing a bruise on the baby’s forehead. Zayne did not receive any medical attention from his date of birth on Nov. 17 until his death in December.

The autopsy showed that Zayne had suffered bruising and abrasions in front of his ear as well as on his scalp, right side of his neck and the back of his lower left neck. He suffered from both a brain and spinal hemorrhage and multiple rib fractures.